-think about your life and choices

-consider: do you feel an uncomfortable amount of ownership and/or rage when you look at women?

-consider: don’t you think you should be concerned about this?

-to do instead: have less ownership and/or rage towards women. Or maybe get into the television show Scandal. That’s a great show.

-if you’re looking for something that doesn’t star a “woman”, I suggest playing chubby bunny in your mirror but maybe choking on the marshmallows! DIY!

-but you don’t feel ownership and/or rage when you look at women! Great! If you are a good guy, keep being a good guy! Many good men I know wander the earth just wonderfully, keeping their hands and feet inside the vehicle at all times and saving the compliments for women who they know the names of! Why don’t we all keep livin’ life to the fullest and the random shouts at an absolute zero minimum!

-have you paid your gas bill? You should make sure, because it is getting cold and you don’t want your gas turned off!

-go and buy a smoothie, particularly one with fiber, because clearly you are full of shit

-speaking of shit, eat shit

-compliment somebody you actually know and have spoken to at least once in your life

-I hear a lot of you arguing, “I just like giving women a nice compliment” and I’m really sorry that we live in a world where compliments scare us but they do, so so sorry your life is ruined because you can’t just shout a compliment at people, that you can’t just run around shouting compliments at a stranger, like somebody who is unaware of social cues

-again, really sorry I spilled your compliment milk and you are crying about it

-my apologies, it’s just that sometimes people start off complimenting and then we die

-don’t do it

-we don’t need a compliment or anything

-we know we look nice

-don’t

Metro Love, Highland Park | Katrina Alexy

• What you missed at this weekend’s Brewery Art Walk in Lincoln Heights. Blogging L.A.

• Renderings have been released of the approximately 100 apartments that will be built around and above the Bob Baker Marionette Theater at the southern edge of Echo Park.   Downtown News

• Wallpaper magazine devotes a 13-page spread featuring the Echo Park house that has become a shrine to the homoerotic artist known as Tom of Finland.  Tom’s Blog

• The Eastsider thanks James M. Cory of Silver Lake for purchasing a Reader Sponsorship and Benefits Card.
  
  

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Where do you go after you star in The Room? If you're Greg Sestero, you parlay the experience into a years-long gig as the custodian of the film's legend. If you're anyone else in the cast, though, you're out of luck — Tommy Wiseau only has room for one Boswell. That's why six of the film's former cast members, including Juliette Danielle (Lisa) and Phillip Haldiman (Denny), have come together to create a new project based on their post-Room lives, and now they want you to donate to it. The Room Actors: Where Are They Now? won't be a reality show; instead, creator Robyn Paris (Michelle) describes the idea as a Christopher Guest–style mockumentary. A web series about struggling actors in Los Angeles? Ha, what a story, Mark!

Read more posts by Nate Jones

Filed Under: the room ,kickstarter ,movies

In accordance with Cocktail Week 2014, we decided to drink our way through most of the cocktail menu at Hollywood’s new Dave & Buster’s. Enjoy.

One could be forgiven for not realizing that Dave & Buster’s actually landed right in the heart of Hollywood several weeks back. The popular adult arcade/bar/sports watching venue/home of pretzel hotdogs has flown a bit under the radar, despite occupying tens of thousands of square feet right inside the Hollywood and Highland complex, and throwing an opening night party that was DJ’d by Brody Jenner.

So not only is Dave & Buster’s alive and kicking in the heart of tourist-town, it’s got a full menu of signature and classic cocktails that are ripe for the drinkin’. Here now, everything from the D&B TNTea™ and the Angry Balls™ to the signature snowcone, all available at your local Dave & Buster’s in Hollywood.

It’s important to note that all ™ and ® symbols are courtesy of the restaurant party zone itself, and in no way is meant to be an endorsement of or thankfulness for said ™’d and ®’d brands.

Backwoods Blueberry Lemonade: You know what’s better than a cocktail? A cocktail with a sidecar of pure firewater! That’s the thought behind this Backwoods Blueberry Lemonade, which blends ABSOLUT® Berri Acai vodka, lemonade and Reàl® Blueberry puree, and comes saddled with a little red Solo® cup of Firefly Moonshine Strawberry

Cherry Berry Mojito: Slapped with the ‘FAVES’ banner like it’s your least-hated stepchild, this Cruzan® Black Cherry rum is finished with such elegant ingredients as "mojito mix" and Strawberry BACARDI® Premium Mixer.

Fiery Peach Margarita: For the fruity drink lover who craves adult beverages that are served on a paddle. This "perfect and peachy" marg is made with Hornitos® Reposado 100% Blue Agave tequila, plus Countreau® and a peach puree. The fire, apparently, comes from the totally twizzted Twizzler® that comes dunked into the glass.

Million Dollar Margarita: Don’t run away! This drink doesn’t really cost one million dollars! Haha it’s marketing! But seriously, this ‘flagship’ margarita is a blend of Hornitos® Reposado 100% Blue Agave tequila, plus Tuaca® an Grand Marnier®. And it won’t even set you back that many game tokens or whatever.

Original Snowcone: Holy sh*t will this drink make you wish you were a ten year old alcoholic. We’re talking a no-brainer mix of DeKuyper® Watermelon Pucker® (two ®’s means it’s ultra exxxclusive), Malibu® Coconut rum, Pinnacle Cherry vodka (no ®???), MORE DeKuyper® in the form of blue curaçao and a hint of Sprite®®®®®®®®®®.

Strawberry Sangria: Ooh! Another ‘FAVES’! This one mixes booze and wine better than your weirdest aunt, with the latter coming from 14 Hands Vineyards. There’s also rum and brandy and, somehow, an entire other sangria (Monin® Red Sangria? The hell?!) inside this sangria. That’s how you know both Dave and Buster are serious as all get out.

D&B TNTea®: At last, a drink so important that it deserves its own ®! This exclusive to Dave and Buster’s boozebucket somehow improves on the timeless Long Island iced tea with a towering mix of ABSOLUT® vodka, Tanqueray® gin, BACARDI® Superior rum, Grand Marnier® and a finish of Coca-Cola®. And hold onto your butts, because you get to keep the goddamn glass.

Angry Balls™: Anyone who can tell you the difference between that ® symbol and the ™ symbol is a goddamn liar. Case in point, this heavily-™’d and ®'d concoction of Fireball® Cinnamon Whisky and Angry Orchard™ Crisp Apple Cider. This thing tastes like the kind of apple pie that you’d bring to a bar fight.

There are other drinks of course — many, many others — but they’re all plays on the above themes. Different types of snowcones, more premier-ier margaritas, and Coronitas™, where dinky lil’ Corona Extras get turned upside down in a plastic glass full of tequila, which you inexplicably drink through a plastic straw ringed by pickles.

Welcome to the neighborhood, Dave & Buster’s!

Dave & Buster's - Hollywood
6801 Hollywood Blvd.
Hollywood, CA 90028
www.daveandbusters.com

Attention Aussies in LA: Aussie Pie Kitchen is now open in Santa Monica.

Main St., gains another diverse eatery, Aussie Pie Kitchen in Santa Monica. "Chopped" Champion, Joe Youhkan (The Tasting Spoon) is the culinary director behind the Aussie Pies and has teamed up with owners Nick Bishop and Geri Chua. The doors are now open to serve Aussie inspired savory and flakey pies, sides and coffees, but come quick, the savory pies are selling out each night.

The menu features 5 types of pies ranging from Summer Veggie, Chicken and Tarragon, and Lamb and Rosemary, to name a few, and choose between a five-inch pie or a mini 3 inch pie. Other options include rolls like the feta and kale, for the health conscious, or Brekkie Pies, which are more quiche-like without the croissant flaky top. Make sure to add a White, Tiger or Green Stack to your pie, which incorporates layers of either garlic mash (white), minty peas (green), or creamy thyme gravy, peas and mash combined (tiger). In addition, Aussies take their coffee, as seriously as Angelenos do, so Australian favorite Vittoria Organic Coffee will be the coffee roaster for a delicious creamy Flat White.

Are Aussie savory meat pies the new thing? With Aussie Pie Kitchen and Garlo's Pies, which recently opened in Westwood, it will be intriguing to see how the Aussie eateries do in the City of Angels. Aussie Pie Kitchen's hours are 8am to 6pm seven days a week but are subject to change. Also, starting Halloween weekend, they plan on doing late nights. For more info visit their Facebook page.

Aussie Pie Kitchen
2510 Main St
Santa Monica, CA 90405

Most of the time, when an American TV show is sold to other language markets, the opening theme song stays as is. But sometimes, especially if the theme song contains crucial background details, the song will be translated and re-recorded. The '90s hit The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was also a hit in various dubbed versions all over the world. People wanted to know what that intro, which obviously tells a story, was all about. Here are five foreign language versions of the opening theme song that really put their own twist on the famous origin story.

1. HUNGARIAN

Show title: Kaliforni&aacute...

If you find yourself in a situation where you can pick a new name, ask yourself this: Would you do business with a man named Bunny Wang?

Chinese state media has come up with some tips for people who might want to start using an English name, but don't want to offend anyone they might work alongside, the BBC discovered. CCTV News, for example, recommends avoiding non-names (so no "Dragon," "Surprise," or "Lawyer") and food names. "To put it bluntly," the report says, "names like Candy, Lolly, Sugar (think anything sweet) are typically thought of as 'non-smart girl' names or 'stripper' names."

Red alert, red alert: The fugly shoe trend has gone too far and it must be neutralized immediately. In a horrifying development, Teva has decided to make an asset of its association with hippie nerds and is now actively encouraging people to combine socks and sandals. Evacuate sectors five through eight; I've got orders to seal this facility immediately.

Read more...

Nathan Sexton uploaded this video of the unlikely BFFs in 2009 but in the past week it has gone viral! Watch as Harley the Beagle plays with Jack, her new baby goat friend, inside the house like it is no big deal. Nathan uploaded the vid with the following:

For 2 weeks, we have to watch a baby goat. This is my Beagle puppy and the goat, Jack, playing in the living room.

Jack teaches his buddy Harley how to use her head and play:

The post Watch a bouncing baby goat and Beagle puppy play in their living room appeared first on HelloGiggles.

With a bag of tasty Candy Corn Marshmallows sitting on my kitchen counter, I knew that I had a few options. I could either eat them straight out of the bag, toast them and make s’mores, or make a batch of Rice Krispy treats with them. They’re small enough that s’mores didn’t seem like a good choice, and while eating them straight out of the bag was tasty, it wasn’t all that fun. I chose the third option and ended up using them to make a batch of Candy Corn Rice Krispy Treats!

These cereal bars are made with candy corn marshmallows as a base. These marshmallows, a seasonal offering for Halloween, taste like toasted marshmallows with a hint of honey and they add a bit of complexity to what is otherwise a very straightforward treat. I also added vanilla and salt to the bars, to give them a little more flavor and to cut the sweetness that is usually associated with a marshmallow treat. The bars took on a light orange color that made them look a little more exciting than the classic bars, but it wasn’t enough to identify the flavor that went into them. To play up the candy corn angle, I topped the bars off with a few regular candy corns and a handful of leftover candy corn marshmallows.

I always enjoy a batch of homemade Rice Krispy treats and these bars are no exception. They have a hint of vanilla and toasted marshmallow to them that, combined with just a touch of salt, made them very addictive. They’re easy to make and keep extremely well when stored in an airtight container, so you could keep them around for snacking (or for putting in lunch boxes!) or plate them up for a festive dessert at a Halloween event. The recipe makes a fairly large batch, but can be halved if you don’t want to tempt yourself with quite so many deliciously crispy cereal bars sitting around the house.

Candy Corn Rice Krispy Treats
10-oz Candy Corn Marshmallows*
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp butter, room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
6 cups rice krispy cereal
1/2 cup candy corn
1/2 cup Candy Corn Marshmallows (optional)

Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
In a large, microwave-safe bowl, combine marshmallows, salt and butter. Microwave on high for 60-90 seconds, until marshmallows and butter have melted. Add the vanilla and stir the marshmallow mixture until smooth, then fold in the cereal until everything is evenly combined.
Transfer mixture to prepared pan and press down into an even layer with a lightly greased spatula. Sprinkle evenly with candy corn an gently press them down into the bars. Sprinkle evenly with candy corn marshmallows. Allow bars to cool to room temperature before slicing.

Makes 24 bars

*Note: If you don’t have the Candy Corn Marshmallows, which are a seasonal ingredient, you can add a few drops of orange food coloring and double the vanilla in your recipe, then stir 1 tablespoon of honey into your marshmallow mix. This will give the bars the essence of the candy corn marshmallows – and their color – without needing the limited edition product.

Maybe your suburban street is stereotypically sleepy and subdued, but that's not the case for one road in Central Coast, Australia, where two male kangaroos decided that yes, they did want to take it outside. While the video's authenticity can't be confirmed, it's pretty amazing:

A kangaroo can apparently support its entire body weight on just its tail (check out 1:15 in the video above). So if you ever find yourself face-to-face with one of these guys, watch out for the double-leg kick.

Candy corn is a seasonal staple in the fall and, whether you like the triangular fondant candies or not, there is no doubt that you will recognize them instantly when you see them. Their signature orange and yellow colors are striking and many people – from large brands to individuals, like me – use them as inspiration to create other seasonal sweets. For instance, my Candy Corn Cupcakes are inspired by actual candy corn, and so are these seasonal Jet Puffed Candy Corn Marshmallows.

The fluffy, bite-sized marshmallows contain no actual candy corn, but the triangular shape and yellow-orange color palate of the marshmallows capture their spirit. I kept my expectations low when I opened the bag – and was surprised to find that these are actually very delicious! They smell like lightly toasted marshmallows and have a hint of toasted marshmallow flavor. The two flavors that are used in candy corn are honey and vanilla, and you pick up both of those flavors in these marshmallows, as well, though the toasted marshmallow flavor is the primary flavor. That is a good thing, in my book, because it keeps these from seeming too sweet and the flavor from seeming too artificial. Even people who don’t like candy corn will like these. The bag says they’re great for snacking and I found that to be true. I certainly ate my way through a big handful of them without even noticing!

Has Ross lied on the podcast? Is he truly open to the possibility of the paranormal? Does he eat his boogers? Find out this and more in our voice polygraph episode! In this hilarious investigation, Carrie asks Ross some very personal (and a few silly) questions, and an expert analyzes the sound waves in his voice to see if he's a truth-teller or a stinkin' liar. The results may surprise you... and Ross.

Donate to support this and all our investigations at maximumfun.org/donate 

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The best-paid actor in Hollywood, Robert Downey Jr. knows something about redemption, and he also thinks it's time for the industry to forgive Mel Gibson for his transgressions. In an interview with Deadline, Downey said, "Well, first off, he has changed so much" and went on to praise Gibson for his parenting skills. The reporter then suggested the idea that Downey would do Iron Man 4 (which he has already said he wouldn't do) if Gibson directed it, and Downey responded by saying, "Correct." The reporter asked, "Is that our headline?" and he responded, "Why not? That movie would be bananas." So, there you have it: That's the price of seeing another solo Tony Stark movie. His other thoughts on Gibson are below:

Read more posts by E. Alex Jung

Filed Under: robert downey jr. ,mel gibson ,interviews

Felix Dennis, the chairman of the company that owns The Week and Mental Floss, died at age 67 on June 22. He had been battling cancer.

Felix was a larger-than-life figure — brilliant, profane, courageous, and perhaps a little bit mad. And that's the sense of the man you'll get with this exclusive peek inside his homes in England.

"Felix was a truly amazing person who loved living," said Ian Leggett, group finance director of Dennis Publishing and Felix's long-time friend and advisor. "He collected anything and everything that took his fancy. The books he owned, he read. The music he owned...

Every morning (except for Sundays), at 5:45 a.m. sharp, the DogPound meets at an elite West Village gym. A year ago, Hugh Jackman assembled this group of 14 guys—who include NYSE president Tom Farley, former America’s Next Top Model judge Nigel Barker, and two Olympic-medal winners—from among the dads at his kids’ school. The name is an homage to Dali, Jackman’s French bulldog, who presides over all workouts.

“It’s a bromance for sure,” says lead trainer Kirk Myers, who, together with trainers nicknamed Menace, Monster, and Chief Smashing Officer, works out alongside Jackman and friends. The whole crew have been known to spend an entire day together and exchange more than a dozen emails daily. The hour-long themed circuit starts with a double espresso shot and often involves tasks such as flinging giant hammers and lifting 100-pound dumbbells. At some point every morning, the Rocky theme song is played. “It’s very loud. Everyone is screaming, constantly,” says Barker. “We all feel like little Wolverines in the making.”

1. David Uyttendaele, age: 45, Co-founder and CTO of mimeo.com

2. Matt Targett, age: 28, Strategic partner manager at Google, Australian Olympic swimmer

3. Dawin Pena, age: 32, President of Kirk Myers Fitness personal trainers

4. Hugh Jackman, age: 45, Actor

5. John O’Neil, age: 45, Corporate partner of a private-funds group

6. Breylis Pena, age: 28, Trainer

Not Pictured:

• Conor Dwyer, age: 24, U.S. Olympic swimmer
• Tom Farley, age: 38, President of the New York Stock Exchange
• Joe Geraci, age: 39, Co-head of markets at the municipal-securities division of Citibank
• Alex Guira, age: 49, Investment banker in private equity
• Nigel Barker, age: 42, Photographer, TV host-judge “It might be midlife crisis, but it could be worse. Our love handles and kegs are being traded in for six-packs.”
• Nicky McGrane, age: 46, CFO of Evolent Health
• Dennis Pena, age: 19, Head of digital and social media for Kirk Myers Fitness, occasionally Jackman’s driver
• Kirk Myers, age: 35, CEO and founder of Kirk Myers Fitness “Nigel went out of town for two days, came back, and said, ‘I’d tell you I missed you, but I’ve actually spoken to you more than I have my wife for the past two days.’ ”

*This article appears in the October 6, 2014 issue of New York Magazine.

Read more posts by Rebecca Milzoff

Filed Under: portrait ,gym buddies ,fitness ,hugh jackman ,new york magazine

Bill Murray's 1-800 number, which he uses in lieu of an agent, is one of those pieces of Hollywood lore that's never been fully explained. How do you find it, and what happens when you dial it? Ted Melfi, who cast Murray in the upcoming St. Vincent through the 800 number, is here to tell all.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Melfi reveals that he got the number through producer Fred Roos. (Roos told Murray he'd given it out, but it's unknown if this is a standard procedure for a Murray associate giving out the number.) Over the course of 2012, Melfi called the number numerous times, and was greeted each time by a generic computer voice telling him to leave a message. He heard nothing until Murray's lawyer got in touch, telling Melfi to send copies of the script to random P.O. boxes across the country. Melfi then received a call from Murray himself, asking him to fly to Cannes — immediately. Melfi couldn't, and the project seemed off. Until Murray texted back weeks later, telling the director to meet him at LAX.

At their rendezvous, Melfi finally got his own crazy Bill Murray story:

They boarded a chauffeured Town Car, then picked up four grilled-cheese sandwiches at In-N-Out Burger. “And we drove for three hours through the Pechanga Indian reservation — go to San Diego and take a left.” Mr. Murray’s house was down a private road at the back of a golf course. “I had to use the bathroom and he goes, ‘Don’t forget to jiggle the handle.’ Then we walk outside, and he says ‘We should do this. Let’s make a movie.’ “I said ‘Bill, there ‘s just one thing I wanna ask you. Do you think you could tell someone other than me that this happened?’”

In case you're wondering whether he's making this up, Melfi told a basically identical anecdote to USA Today a month ago. The story checks out!

Read more posts by Nate Jones

Filed Under: bill murray ,st. vincent ,movies ,ted melfi

Flex those muscles Hadley! Before bath time little Hadley shows off her mean mugging muscle flex with her dad. Watch as she mimics her father in the most adorable way.

The post All Flex Zone: Baby adorably flexes muscles with her dad appeared first on HelloGiggles.

Photos by Nadine van der Wielen Photography

Let's talk about how lovely and glowy and stunning Kelly and Bart's Netherlands wedding is, shall we? First of all, there's the friggin light in their apartment while Kelly got ready for the day. Photographer Nadine van der Wielen said the weather alternated between stormy and sunny, and y'all know I love the light of a rainy wedding. There are flowers everywhere here: in Kelly's hair, her fab bouquet, and a bunch being dumped by a flower girl (that last one's my favorite picture btw). There's even flowers on the bedroom wallpaper!

Bart and Kelly look head-over-heels in blissed-out love, and who could blame them? They're not only getting married, they were also expecting at the time! Yup, the couple welcomed daughter Suzie into the family recently. Congrats, guys! After a photo shoot in a sun-dappled nearby park, the couple got married in a simple ceremony at the city hall.

Vendors

Dress: Maison de la Femme • Flowers: Bloembinderij Gebroeders de Jong • Hair and makeup: Saskia Bisschop • Photography: Nadine van der Wielen Photography • Tux: Suit Supply Haarlem

Recent Comments

• K.: I don't usually get chocked up, but the looks on the people's faces (in the background when they were at … [Link]
• Chris Wolfgang: Oh congratulations, Kelly! I'll update the blog post to be more accurate. Thanks for letting us know, and congratulations again … [Link]
• Kelly: We are honered to be on the website with the beautyful photos of Nadine. We had a great weddingday. Meanwhile … [Link]
• Bart: Thanks for all the sweet words. Nadine did an awesome job! This city hall is 500 years old. Before that it … [Link]
• Larra: Holy smokes! This wedding is gorgeous! I can't get over how beautiful and totally in love the couple looks, so … [Link]

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When you're running an animal shelter, names are probably the least of your worries. But you've got to call the little guys something, right? Well, somebody at the Wisconsin Humane Society has quite a talent in this particular arena.

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BOYLE HEIGHTS — A 101-year man crossing a street was fatally struck this morning by a van whose driver was followed and detained by witnesses after fleeing the scene.

The LAPD’s Central Traffic Division said that Jose Noriega was struck at about 6 a.m. while walking eastbound in a marked crosswalk at Lorena and Opal streets when he was hit by a 1997 Chevy Astro Van traveling northbound on Lorena. Noriega died of his injuries about two hours later at L.A. County-USC Medical Center.

The motorist, 41-year-old Ricardo Avalos, drove away from the scene but he was pursued by witnesses who “blocked suspect’s path and detained him until police arrived,” according to an LAPD press release.

Avalos was arrested for vehicular manslaughter, and his bail is set at $50,000. Alcohol or drugs were not involved, according to police.

Editor's note: This piece was originally published two years ago.

Prince is one of those rare and wonderful humans who's surrounded by so much mystery and lore that you're willing to believe almost anything you hear about him. Prince had doves sing backup on one of his albums? Sure. Prince doesn't believe in time? Time is an illusion, anyway.

(In less fantastic, still excellent news, he just released two new albums: Art Official Age and PlectrumElectrum, the latter featuring his all-female backing band, 3rdEyeGirl.)

The thing is, some of the craziest rumors about Prince might not be mere rumors at all. Here are a handful of the weirdest, most delightful, and, in some — that's some — cases, maybe even true pieces of Prince-ly gossip.

1. He Held Back an Album After Freaking Out on Ecstasy
Prince's officially untitled 1987 "Black Album," so called because of its all-black cover, was supposed to be his hardest and most aggressive effort to date. But days before its release, he withdrew the album, allegedly after having a bad ecstasy experience — one which supposedly led him to believe that he'd be committing an act of evil if he unleashed such dark-sounding music upon the world. Apparently, the trip wore off. The album was officially released in 1994. Life as we know it did not end. 

2. He is a Renter's Nightmare
In 2006, Prince rented a Hollywood mansion belonging to NBA player Carlos Boozer. Bad move, Booz. The latter's former teammate Jay Williams told ESPN Radio that "Prince changed the front gate to the Prince sign ... changed the master bedroom to a hair salon ... changed the streaming blue waters that led to the front door to purple water," and so on. Boozer filed a lawsuit over the unauthorized alterations.

3. He Went Door-to-Door for Jehovah's Witnesses
Under the religious influence of his friend and mentor, former Sly and the Family Stone bassist Larry Graham, Prince knocked on doors, proselytizing on behalf of Jehovah's Witnesses. "Sometimes people act surprised," he told The New Yorker in 2008, "but mostly they're really cool about it."

4. He Took That Job Extremely Seriously
In 2003, Prince and Graham knocked on the door of a Jewish family in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. "Then they start in on this Jehovah's Witnesses stuff,'' Rochelle, a member of that family, told the Minneapolis–St. Paul Star-Tribune. ''I said, 'You know what? You've walked into a Jewish household, and this is not something I'm interested in.' He says, 'Can I just finish?' Then the other guy, Larry Graham, gets out his little Bible and starts reading scriptures about being Jewish and the land of Israel.'' This all apparently happened, by the way, on Yom Kippur.

5. He Has a Truly Remarkable Pair of Roller Skates
In his book, Mo' Meta Blues, Questlove shared his experience of being invited to go after-hours roller-skating with his Purple Majesty. Then he saw something he'd never seen before. "Prince had the briefcase out on the floor," Questlove wrote. "He clicked the lock and opened it, and took out the strangest, most singular pair of roller skates I had ever seen. They were clear skates that lit up, and the wheels sent a multicolored spark trail into your path ... He took them out and did a big lap around the rink. Man. He could skate like he could sing."

6. He Will Randomly Challenge You to Play Pickup Basketball
As immortalized in an episode of Chappelle's Show, Charlie Murphy tells a story of partying with Prince in the '80s when the latter suddenly issued an impromptu pickup-basketball challenge. Prince didn't even bother changing out of his "Zorro-type outfit." Marveled Murphy: "This cat could ball." 

7. He Takes Bootleggers OUT
Prince fan forums are full of stories of his no-mercy attitude toward bootleggers. An oft-told tale has him showing up unannounced at a Manhattan record store, snapping up their stock of bootleg Prince albums, and leaving. 

8. He Is an Extraordinary Multitasker
According to an old profile from Notorious magazine, during a concert in Montreal, Prince, a giant NBA fan, watched a Chicago Bulls playoff game on a TV positioned at the side of the stage, and would amble over to watch while he played his guitar solos. He also apparently tasked a wardrobe girl with holding up the score on cue cards for him to read.

9. He Fired a Crew Member for Making Eye Contact
In that same Notorious profile, an anonymous Prince employee said, "No crew members were allowed to look at him or talk to him. I literally saw him fire a guy for looking at him. He just said, 'Why is that guy looking at me? Tell him to leave.'" 

10. He Doesn't Believe in Time
Again from the Notorious gold mine: "Your magazine probably won't print this," Prince said in response to a question about his youthful appearance, "but I don't believe in time. I don't count. When you count, it ages you."

11. He Likes Speaking in Riddles
During a speaking gig, director Kevin Smith discussed being summoned by Prince to talk about a possible collaboration, only to be subjected to some Byzantine sermonizing. Example: "If a big snake gives birth to a little snake, what is that little snake going to grow up to be?" "A big snake," Smith correctly answered. Prince's point? "You gotta know who your father is." Fair enough. 

12. He Talked Trash About Michael Jackson's Ping-Pong Skills
Prince's former sound engineer David Z told a story about Prince's attempt to play ping-pong with Jackson while the two were recording at the same L.A. studio. "You want me to slam it?" he recalled Prince asking MJ. He did not. "Michael drops his paddle and holds his hands up in front of his face so the ball won't hit him. Michael walks out with his bodyguard, and Prince starts strutting around like a rooster. 'Did you see that? He [Jackson] played like Helen Keller.'"

13. He Thought Being Asked to Sing on "Bad" Was an Insult
Was Jackson's smash hit was originally intended to be a duet with Prince? Longtime Prince confrere Alan Leeds told Vibe, "Michael coming to Prince and wanting him to do 'Bad,' that really pissed him off. Prince was like, 'Oh, he wants me to punk out on record. Who does he think I am, crazy?' He probably couldn't get outside himself enough to realize that it was the kind of thing that probably could have benefited both of them." 

14. He Staged a Funk Musical Based on Homer's Odyssey
In August 1993, Prince debuted Glam Slam Ulysses, his musical interpretation of the Greek epic poem, at a club in Los Angeles. His then-protégé Carmen Electra was a featured dancer. It ran for 13 performances, and a bunch of its songs popped up on subsequent Prince albums. Variety reported, in very 1993 fashion, that Ulysses "featured enough phallic symbols and references to make even Heidi Fleiss blush."

15. He Has a Giant Vault of Unreleased Music
Famously productive, Prince is widely believed to have a massive stockpile of unheard music. This is on top of the 32 studio albums he has already released. 

16. He Took Out a Nationwide Personal Ad
In December 1993, ads in several national magazines showed an obscured photo of Prince accompanied by the text, "Eligible bachelor seeks the most beautiful girl in the world to spend the holidays with."

17. He Doesn't Let Reporters Record Interviews 
"Some in the past have taken my voice and sold it," he told Billboard. He's not keen on having journalists take notes, either. Why? "That would be just like texting."

18. He Believes Doves Have Beautiful Voices
On his album One Nite Alone ... Prince's doves, Divinity and Majesty, are credited with "ambient singing."

19. He Hasn't Cried Since He Was a Child
When he was a boy, Prince's jazz-musician father threw him out of the house. (How Purple Rain–y!) The young Princeling then cried in a phone booth for two hours. According to a 1991 Details profile, he claimed it was the last time he ever shed tears.

20. He Had a Private Hair Salon
In an interview with the U.K.'s Daily Mail, Prince's ex-wife Mayte Garcia says that their Spanish hacienda came equipped with its own hair salon — which she was never allowed to use. "I always went out if I needed my hair done," Garcia explained. "The salon wasn't for me, it was for my husband. Prince needed his space."

21. His Wife Wasn't Allowed to Call Him on the Phone
"Even when we were married," Garcia said in the same Daily Mail article, "I had to wait for him to call me. I've no idea why, he never actually said."

22. He Released a Recording of Kim Basinger's Sex Noises
In 1989, Prince put out a 12-inch single called The Scandalous Sex Suite, which featured vocal contributions from Kim Basinger, including some moaning and groaning that was rumored to be taken from recordings of a sex romp between the two stars.

23. He Kept a Lawn Ornament in the Bedroom
A 1985 Rolling Stone piece revealed the following after a visit to a pre–Paisley Park Prince residence: "The only thing unusual in either of the two guest bedrooms is a two-foot statue of a smiling yellow gnome covered by a swarm of butterflies. One of the monarchs is flying out of a heart-shaped hole in the gnome's chest."

24. He Enjoys Weird Food Combinations
An oral history of Purple Rain in SPIN revealed this curious dietary tidbit: "I ordered a grilled cheese sandwich," said director Albert Magnoli. "Prince ordered spaghetti and orange juice, which was one of his favorite meals." Spaghetti and orange juice? Sounds gross. But, as always, Prince probably knows something that we don't. 

After two films of chasing bad guys around Europe, now it's Liam Neeson's turn to avoid being taken. Poor Famke Janssen has been killed off in the trailer, and like many others before him, Neeson will have to prove that he didn't kill his wife. Fortunately, he still has a very particular set of skills, which this time includes the ability to kill someone with a defibrillator. We'll have to update this slideshow.

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Filed Under: liam neeson ,maggie grace

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